Conventionally, a rotary connector (SRC: steering roll connector) has been used for electrical connection between a rotatable side and a fixed side, for example, between a steering wheel and a vehicle body of an automobile. A steering angle sensor (SAS) that detects the angle of operation (steering angle) of the steering wheel has been known, too.
In some cases, the steering angle sensor may be, together with the rotary connector, mounted to the steering wheel. Such a configuration is shown in, for example, Patent Document 1. The Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a rotary connector is coupled to a steering angle sensor.
Patent Document 2 discloses a rotary connector device having a steering angle sensor incorporated therein.
In the configuration shown in the Patent Document 1, the rotary connector and the steering angle sensor are separate from each other. Such a configuration allows the rotary connector and the steering angle sensor to be handled as independent modules. Thus, they can be handled with ease during assembling. This advantageously improves the workability in assembling.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show an example of conventional rotary connector and steering angle sensor in such a modularized fashion. A conventional rotary connector 2 shown in FIG. 10 includes a stator 11 and a rotator 12 that are rotatable relative to each other. A conventional steering angle sensor 3 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 includes a sensor housing 40 and a rotatable member 43. The rotatable member 43 is rotatable relative to the sensor housing 40. A detector 34 (idler gears 47 and a circuit board 48) that detects the amount of rotation of the rotatable member 43 is received in the sensor housing 40.
In the structure shown in FIG. 10, the rotator 12 of the rotary connector 2 and the rotatable member 43 of the steering angle sensor 3 are coupled to each other via a sleeve 20 (linkage member). The sleeve 20 is configured to be coupled to the rotator 12 of the rotary connector 2 (the state shown in FIG. 10). The sleeve 20 has cutouts 35. The cutouts 35 are engageable with engaging projections 56 formed in the rotatable member 43 of the steering angle sensor 3 (see FIG. 10). Bringing the engaging projections 56 into engagement with the cutouts 35 makes the rotator 12 of the rotary connector 2 and the rotatable member 43 of the steering angle sensor 3 coupled to each other via the sleeve 20. This enables the detector 34 of the steering angle sensor 3 to detect the amount of rotation of the rotator 12.
As shown in FIG. 10, the stator 11 of the conventional rotary connector 2 includes a bottom plate 101. The bottom plate 101 functions as “lid” for preventing elements (such as a flexible flat cable) provided within the rotary connector 2 from falling out of it. As shown in FIG. 11, the sensor housing 40 of the conventional steering angle sensor 3 includes an upper covering 102. The upper covering 102 functions as “lid” for preventing elements (such as the detector 34) provided within the sensor housing 40 from falling out of it.